Improvement in sewing-machines



4Sheets--Sheet2. .l. LAIN G.

Sewing-Machine. No. 162,665, Patented April27,l875.

- %Law,oo&7- mukM f THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTO-LITN.39&41 PARK PLACLNAC 4Sheets She et J. LAING. Sewing-Machine.-

Patented April 27,1875.

No.l62,665.

THE GRAPHIC CO.PHOTO'LITH.39&4I PARK PLACLNY.

UNITED STATES JAMES LAING, OF DUNDEE, NORTH BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,665, dated April27, 1875; application filed January 29, 1875.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES LAING, of Dundee, in the county of Forfar,North Britain, have invented a new and Improved Overseam Sewing-l/Iachine, of which the following is a specification:

My said invention relates to a new and improved overseam sewing-machine,in which the operation of sewing is effected by a spiral hook or needle,pointed at one end so as to pierce the cloth, while at the other end itis provided with a hooked eye, by which the thread, string, or cord isheld.

The figure on Sheet 1 of the drawings hereunto appended is a sideelevation, the figure on Sheet 2 a plan, and Figure 1, Sheet 3, an endelevation, of the sewing-machine as constructed in accordance with mysaid invention.

As shown by these figures, the mechanism or apparatus consists of arectangular framework or base, A, at each side of which a number ofstandards, B, supporting the moving parts of the mechanism, are fixed.On the columns or standards, at one side of the machine, a drivingshaft, 0, is supported, on which fast and loose pulleys D and E,respectively, are placed at one end, the shaft being driven by a belt orband passed around the pulley D, and communicating with a prime mover;or, in lieu ofthis arrangement, a wheel maybe situated at the positionof the fast and loose pulleys D and E, through which the machine may bedriven by hand. On the driving-shaft 0 other pulleys F and G are alsofixed, from the larger one F of which motion is communicated, by a bandor belt, H, to a cylindrical spiral hook or needle, a, (seen on Sheet1,) and more particularly by the detailed views, Figs. 2 and 3, Sheet 3,of the drawings. The spiral hook or needle to is that by which thesewing is effected, and for that purpose it is formed pointed at thatend, I), which first pierces through the cloth or fabric, and at theopposite end, 0, it is formed with a hooked eye, by which the thread,cord, or string used in the sewing is held. Immediately in front of thehooked eye the spiral needle to is slightly enlarged, as shown at Fig.1, Sheet 4:, so as to clear or widen the hole through the cloth orfabric, and so prevent the hook with the thread from catching in thehole. Within the circumference of the spiral needle a a tube, I, issituated, and which is supported at one end by the pillar B and at itsother end by frictional rollers (Z, placed on studs or shafts e fixed inthe projecting or bracketed upper portion of the middle pillar 13 at thefront side of the machine, as more particularly seen at Fig. 1, Sheet 3.The band H, which rotates the needle a, is, besides being passed round aportion of the pulley F and of the needle, also passed round and againststenting-pulleys f, arranged round the spiral needle, as shown moreparticularly at Fig. 3, Sheet 3, which pulleys, being provided withflanges, also serve to prevent lateral motion of the needle. The pulleysf are situated on the same shafts or studs 6 with the frictional rollersd, hereinbefore mentioned. The belt or band H presses the needle toagainst the periphery of the cylinder or tube I, as shown at Fig. 3,Sheet 3, and, besides the motion which the needle derives from the saidbelt, uniform motion is communicated thereto by the revolution of thecylinder or tube I, which revolu ion is effected by a crossed belt, g,passed round the cylinder or tube, and also round the pulley Gr,situated on the driving-shaft C. The cylinder or tube I is bored toreceive and fit a cylindrical barrel, J, as shown at Fig. 4, Sheet 3, ofthe drawings, on which is coiled the thread, cord, or string necessaryto form a scam, the said thread, cord, or string being wound on thebarrel J by the hook or needle matter being passed through the portionsof the cloth or fabric to be joined or sewed together, as illustrated bythe detailed view of the barrel J and needle (0 at Fig. 1, Sheet 4:, ofthe drawings. The thread-barrel J, which partakes of the rotatory motionof the cylinder or tube I, has also a horizontal sliding or reciprocalmotion into and out from the cylinder or tube, and which is effected bythe employment of two differential belt-cones, K'and L, the larger one Kof which is fixed on the driving-shaft O, and communicates motion to theother cone L by means of the belt z, (the figure on Sheet 2.) From thecone L horizontal motion is transmitted to the thread-barrel J by ascrew, is, passing through the hollow bearing of the cone L, and gearedtherewith by an adjusta- 2 teases ble catch, 1, which is attached to thecone by a pin or stud passing through a slotted hole in the catch 1, asshown at Fig. 4, Sheet 3, of the drawings.

The outer end of the screw 70 is attached to the similar end of thethread-barrel spindle M by a cross-head or link, N, so that when thecone L is rotated by the belt 2', and the screw moved outward in thedirection of the arrow, Fig. 4, Sheet 3, by the catch 1, which iscarried round with the cone L gearing with the screw-thread,thethread-barrel J is correspondingly moved until the part thereofmarked on is brought up to or within the end of the tube or cylinder 1,at which time a heel or projection, a, formed on the inner end of thescrew k, raises the catch 1, and the screw 70 and thread-barrel J, beingthereby thrown out of gear with the cone L, are drawn backward to theirnormal position-that is to say, those parts of the mechanism are movedsulficiently backward to bring the end 0 of the screw k under the catchZ by a weight or other suitable device attached to the cross-head, theinstantaneous action of which weights is accelerated or assisted by thespring q, placed on the continuation r of the screw 74, and pressing atone end against the bearing of the cone L, and at its other end againsta collar, 8, fixed on the shaft 1", as shown at Sheets 1, 2, and at Fig.4, Sheet 3, of the drawings. As shown at Fig. 4, Sheet 3, the spindle ofthe threadbarrel J is slotted or grooved, and into the said groove afeather formed on the interior of the cylinder or tube 1 enters, wherebythe barrel is keyed to the cylinder or tube, and is carried round withit, while, at the same time, the length of the slot or groove permits ofthe horizontal movement of the barrel J. In lieu of forming the featheron the cylinder or tube it may be formed on the spindle, or, instead ofa feather, a pinching-screw or equivalent mechanism may be employed tokey the barrel J and cylinder or tube 1 together.

On the end of the spindle a", opposite to that at which the screw is isformed, a drag or catch, t, is situated, the construction of which ismore particularly seen at Fig. 4 Sheet 3 of the drawings. The thread,cord, or string, as 1t unwinds from the barrel J, passes in between theperiphery of the barrel and the g or catch t, as shown at Fig. 2, Sheet4, whereby each succeeding stitch is pulled tight, as hereinafter moreparticularly referred to.

A feeding-table, P, is placed along the front o the machine, andsupported on the columns or pillars B, and through a groove or slotformed in the said table a pitch-chain, R, or its equivalent, providedwith spikes it, passes. The chain R is passed round guide-pulleys S andT, and also under a stenting-pulley, U, and it is driven from thedriving-shaft G by the bevel-pinions V, one of which is situated on thesaid shaft and the other on a shaft or stud, 1;, supported in an arm orbracket formed on the upper end of the pillar B, as more particularlyseen by the figure on Sheet 2. On

the shaft or stud 1; a spur-pinion, w, is also fixed, which gears into acorresponding spurwheel. to, situated on a cross-shaft, V whereon thechainpulley S is also fixed. or fabric to be sewed is fed to the machineat the end ofthe feeding-table marked X, whereat an incline is made,down which the cloth is passed onto the spikes a of the pitchchain R,and as the said chain is traversed the cloth or fabric is drawn alongparallel to the axis of the spiral hook or needle a, and, after beingsewed by the said needle, it passes up another inclined plane at theopposite end of the table P, whereby it is released from the teeth ofthe chain It, and is thereafter delivered from the machine. The amountof gripe embraced by the stitches in sewing the fabric is regulated byan adjustable fence, m, placed at the feeding end of the table P, asshown on Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings, and the fabric is held down tothe table by a presser, y, whose tension is regulated by a screw orspring.

1n operating with the sewingmachine hereinbefore described the needle isthreaded by an automatic threader, which places a new thread in the hookor eye of the needle (I. without stopping the machine or interruptingthe progress of the work. The automatic threader, which'is shown atSheets 1, 2, at Fig. 1, Sheet 3, and more particularly in detail atFigs. 6 and 7, Sheetet, of the drawings, consists ofa threadarm, 1,centered on one end of an upright shaft, 2, which is supported by asleeve, 3, formed on or attached to the stud e, whereon one of thefriction-rollers d, hereinbefore described, is placed. At the oppositeend the thread-arm 1 is formed with a bent or curved eye, as shown atFig. 8, Sheet 4, of the drawings, over which the thread, cord, or stringto be delivered to the needle is placed, as shown. On the end of theshaft 2, opposite to the thread-arm 1, a lever, 4, is centered, whoseouter end is bent at right angles, as shown at the figure on Sheet 1,and on the screwed spindle 1" aplate, 5, (the configuration of which, inplan, is shown at Sheets 2 and 4,) is fixed by means of apinching-screw, or other equivalent means. The plate 5 is so arranged asat the proper instant to deliver the bight or loop of thread, cord, orstring, from the bent eye of the arm 1 to the eye or book of the needlea. The thread or cord is cut into any desired lengths, and these aredoubled and placed in a suitable receptacle with the doubled portionhanging over the side of the said receptacle, and in preparing to threadthe needle a the doubled portion of one length of thread or cord ispassed through between tension-wires 7, and thence over the eye formedon the automatic threader 1 while in its normal position-that is to say,while the needle to is sewing with a thread formerly supplied to it, andwhile the screwed spindle r and thread-barrel J are being moved towardthe feeding end of the machine, the automatic threader is in theposition shown in dotted lines at Fig. 7., Sheet 4, being drawnthereunto, against the The cloth action of the spring 8, by the tensionof the cord or thread passed over the eye of the arm 1. When thescrew-spindle 0' has nearly completed its outward stroke the inclinedside 9 of the plate 5 comes in contact with the bent end of the lever 4,which is thereby caused to move through an arc outward until the bentportion bears against the side 10 of the plate 5. Immediately on thecompletion of the said outward or backward stroke of the spindle a" andthreadbarrel J (at which time all the thread previously supplied to theneedle a, and coiled on the barrel J, is exhausted) the lever 4 returnsto its normal position; but at that part of the plate 5 marked 11, immediately on the revulsion of the barrel J and spindle 1 being efiectedby the weights p and spring q, as hereinbefore described, causes thelever 4 to assume the position shown at Fig. 7,Sheet 4, of the drawings,in which position it is retained a length of time sufficient to enablethe revolving spiral needle to to hook the bight or loop of thread offfrom the bent eye of the thread-arm 1, which being effected the armfalls over the end of the side 12, and is pushed back by the spring 8into the position shown in dotted lines at Fig. 7, Sheet 4, and anotherbight or loop of thread is, by the operator, placed over the eyethereof, ready for the next threading of the needle a, without stoppingthe action of the machine. The needle thus threaded pierces the cloth orfabric and carries the thread through the same and around the barrel J,which is filled with thread, as shown in dotted lines at Fig. 1, Sheet4, by the continuous revolution of the needle, and the progressivemovement of the fabric and pitch-chain B. Each coil of thread, onreaching the rear end of the thread-barrel J, is, by the progressivemovement of the fabric, and by the receding movement of the barrel J,thrown off therefrom and caught between the thread-drag t and therounded edge of the barrel J. The thread passes in between the barreland the drag t, at the posit-ion shown on Fig. 2, Sheet 4, and, by therotary motion of the barrel J, the point of contact of the thread orcord with the barrel is carried around to the position shown at Fig. 3,Sheet 4, whereby the stitch 16, Fig. 1, Sheet 4, next preceding thatpassing round between the barrel and the drag, is tightened andcompleted.

After so pulling the preceding stitch tight, the point of contact of thethread or cord with the barrel J is, by the revolution of the latter,passed into the position shown at Fig. 4, Sheet 4, after which thatportion of the thread or cord leaves the barrel, and the slack-stitch 17so produced on the thread or cord, is, by the rotation of the needle a,drawn tight over the barrel J, whereby the stitch 17 is partly tightenedor drawn up, the completion of the said stitch being efi'ected by thereceding of the barrel J, whereby the part 18 of the thread is thrown0E, and, passing in between der I, and close to the eye of the needle.

the barrel and the thread-drag, performs the completion of the stitch17, as hereinbefore described in reference to the stitch 16. .A similarsuccession of operations takes place in reference to each succeedingstitch, until all the thread on the barrel J has been exhausted, atwhich time a knife-edge, 19, Sheets 1, 2, and at Fig. 4, Sheet 3,secured on the screw-spindle 1", cuts or severs the portion of threadremaining between the eye of the needle or and the seam, such severancebeing effected against the end of the tube or cyIl inhe needle beingfree from thread, the barrel J and spindle r are immediately thrown backto the opposite end of their stroke, and the needle during such movementis rethreaded by the automatic threader, as hereinbefore described, andcontinues the seam at the position of the next stitch.

In sewing with the machine now under reference, the width between eachstitch is regulated by the speed at which the pitch-chain R draws thecloth or fabric along the feedingtable P, the needle a being madesufficiently elastic to accommodate itself to any desired width ofstitch. The speed of the chain It is adjusted by changing thespur-pinion w on the shaftr, Sheets land 2. The speed of movement of thethread-barrels J toward the feeding end X of the machine is adjustedaccording to the breadth or gripe of cloth through which the seam ismade-that is to say, the barrel is caused to unwind the thread or cordfaster or slower according as a broader or narrower gripe is required,by shifting the driving-belt ion the cones K and L by means of abeltshifter.

I claim as my invention 1. The sewing-mechanism, substantially hereindescribed, consisting of the needle a, tube or barrel I, belt H, andsupporting-pulleys f, in combination with work-feeding mechanism.

2. The combination of the needle 0, tube I, thread-barrel J, belt H, andsupporting pulleysf, with mechanism for advancing and retracting thethread'barrel, as set forth.

3. The combination of the screw-rod K, pulley L, catch 25, and spring q,with the thread barrel J, and drag t.

4. The combination of the catch 15 and knife 19, with the barrel J andneedle a, for finishing the stitches.

5. The combination of the arms 1 and 4, spring 8, and the striker 5, onthe rod 1", with the hook eye needle a.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES LAING. n s.]

Witnesses GEORGE MAGAULAY CRUIKSI-IANK, DAVID DRYSDALE AUSTEN.

